


Marry Me

by IhaveAbadfeelingAboutThis



Series: Pray Boldly [1]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Kitchen Sex, M/M, M/M/M, Marriage Proposal, Multi, Possessive Behavior
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-02-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:40:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22652635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IhaveAbadfeelingAboutThis/pseuds/IhaveAbadfeelingAboutThis
Summary: “I love him, Albus. I never thought I could love someone as much as I love you, but -”Albus kissed him, then stroked Theseus’ cheek with his thumb.“I know, Theseus. ButGellertdoesn’t know... I think the two of you could benefit from some time alone without me.”
Relationships: Albus Dumbledore/Gellert Grindelwald, Albus Dumbledore/Gellert Grindelwald/Theseus Scamander, Albus Dumbledore/Theseus Scamander, Gellert Grindelwald/Theseus Scamander
Series: Pray Boldly [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1629496
Comments: 9
Kudos: 24





	Marry Me

**Author's Note:**

> So - in case you are wondering why the series title is 'Pray Boldly' ...  
> I'm Episcopalian, and my priest, in her introduction to worship every Sunday morning, says the words, 'When you pray, pray boldly...'  
> Prayer is communication with the divine - and IMO, love and sex qualify.  
> Some associate prayer with _asking for things_ which seem unreachable, and while it isn't always that, if certainly can be, and may be one of the most common prayers.  
> For me, in that context, praying _boldly_ means living with a hope for something that seems impossible, but nonetheless working towards it - it means believing that with luck and hard work and perhaps a bit of divine intervention, if you believe in that sort of thing, the impossible can be realized.
> 
> This whole series revolves around the hoping for, the creating, the solidifying, and the living with the fruits of a relationship that all three men had every reason (in the beginning) to believe would be impossible.
> 
> These are going to be a series of one shots, not always in chronological order. You don't have to read them all, or read them all in order, but they are all interrelated.
> 
> *** There are a few inconsistencies with the formatting this time around - for some reason the html editor is being a little... buggy.

**10 July 1915 (Saturday)**

“Theseus – be good to Gellert this week.”  
“What – Albus! When have I been unkind to him? He and I tease each other, but –“  
“He’s uncertain about whether you really want him here. And I imagine he thinks being here at all is contingent upon your acceptance of him… and…”  
Theseus felt ambushed. Albus was leaving for Iceland tomorrow, and he had been anticipating a bit of snogging before making dinner - something to think about when Albus was gone. Instead, Albus had decided that this was the perfect time for an unnecessary conversation. 

“Albus. I’ve already accepted him. _From the very beginning._ I don’t know how I can make it more clear.”  
“I don’t know either, but you need to figure it out.”  
Theseus wondered what he was being accused of, exactly. Not trying hard enough? Being insensitive?

“And you have this ‘superior insight’ because… Gods. He’s told you that I only want him for sex, or that I feel sorry for him, or that I’m just scared I’ll lose you if I send him away, or something like that.”  
Albus raised an eyebrow.  
“That was an interesting list.”  
“Albus -”

“Theseus, you know I can’t tell you what Gellert and I talk about when we’re alone. You were the one who set that boundary in the beginning. ‘That’s his to tell,’ you told me - that very first night.”  
“I should have known you’d throw that in my face,” Theseus grumbled.  
“I’m not - Theseus - what I’m saying is that you need to have a relationship of your own together. One not simply defined by your fears and by your respective relationships with me.”

“And what if he doesn’t want me? What if he just tolerates me because if he wants you, he has to take me as well?”  
“Theseus, that’s not -”  
“What if he just enjoys having sex with me in the mornings because I’m his only option while you’re off writing journal articles?”  
Albus shook his head, and stepped closer. He settled his hands on Theseus’ hips.  
“Theseus - that’s not what’s happening. You know it’s not.”

“I love him, Albus. I never thought I could love someone as much as I love you, but -”  
Albus kissed him, then stroked Theseus’ cheek with his thumb.  
“I know, Theseus. But _he_ doesn’t know.”  
Theseus opened his mouth to protest, but Albus stopped him.  
“I know you’ve told him. I do. But that’s not enough for him, Love. Take advantage of this time. Do what you need to do for you both to be reassured that you love each other.”

“He loves me?”  
“I’m certain he does. Just as certain as I am that you love him.”  
Theseus ran his hand through his hair… and as he did he realized...

“You - you - hinkypink!” He gave Albus a little shove, separating them. “I should have known. You never go to the International Congress of Alchemists – ‘bloody waste of time,’ you say. You just wanted to leave Gellert and I alone together!”  
“I think the two of you could benefit from some time alone without me, yes. You’ll actually spend time together?” Albus asked, pulling Theseus to him.  
Theseus would miss Albus, but Gellert was one of his favourite people - tied for first with Albus and Newt, actually. Why wouldn’t he want to spend time with him?  
“He’ll have my full attention, but – do you really think we will need a whole week?”  
“I’m leaving for two.”  
Things your husband should tell you more than 24 hours before he leaves town…

“Two?!” Theseus took a step back. “Albus, I really don’t think…”  
“Each of you had me to yourselves for significantly more time than two weeks! You will have each other. You can live without me for that long!”

Theseus wondered if Albus was looking forward to time away from him and Gellert. He wondered if his and Gellert’s insecurities had been taking a toll on Albus, if he had been feeling that he was mediating between the two of them.

Albus looked away for a moment. “I impersonated you in order to ensure..."  
Albus rubbed the back of his neck. Theseus wondered what Albus could have done that required - what? polyjuice?  
"Ah - it seems that ‘you’ have requested and received the next two weeks off from work.”

Theseus gripped Albus’ upper arms, leaned his forehead against Albus’ shoulder, and groaned.  
“You suck. I cannot believe you.”  
He lifted up his head, pressed himself up against Albus, and kissed him.  
Then he whispered in his ear, “I love you, you difficult, devious man.”

Gellert walked into the kitchen, grabbed Theseus’ arse, and then sat down at the table. “Going to put on a show for me?”  
Theseus pulled away from Albus and rolled his eyes. “Yes, the show is called, ‘beef stew for supper tonight,’ and the two of you will be performing in supporting roles, cleaning and chopping vegetables.”  
Gellert turned to Albus. “Is he serious, Darling?”  
“I’m afraid so,” Albus said. “He is quite the task master.”

“And we do _not_ Scourgify vegetables, gentlemen. It takes water and scrubbing to adequately clean them. Do not cut corners!”  
Albus groaned and started to edge towards the door.  
With his back still to them both, Theseus said casually, “Of course, you could both leave the kitchen and I could do it myself. But then, who knows what might end up in the stew if I’m left unsupervised? You’d be surprised what new potions we are coming up with at the Ministry these days.”

Gellert turned to Albus. “It seems I have a type. Manipulative redheads.”  
“Shut up,” Albus said, laughing. “You scrub, I’ll chop.”  
“ _Bossy_ redheads, maybe.”

Theseus came over, smacked Gellert on the thigh with his wooden spoon, and then sat in his lap and kissed him.  
“I’ll show you just how bossy I can be later tonight.”  
Gellert looked over Albus’ shoulder with a wicked grin, and Albus winked at him.

“You can boss me around in the kitchen, Love, but I will not stand for it in bed! You have Albus for that.”  
Theseus laughed. He waved his wand, and the vegetables he needed for the stew came up out of the cellar and laid themselves in neat rows on the counter next to the sink. He kissed Gellert on the cheek and stood.  
“Now get to work, lads!”

Not many minutes had passed before Theseus heard Albus yelp. He turned from the stove to see Albus thoroughly soaked. Since Gellert had been the one washing the vegetables, he was clearly to blame but how… Gods. He was holding the Elder Wand. Of all the…

“Gellert Grindelwald! I told you to scrub those vegetables _by hand_!”  
“And I am – I am holding the wand _in my hand_.” Then he mumbled, “I may have put a bit too much force behind that Aguamenti, but –“  
Theseus was furious. How many times had Gellert proven to be a distraction in the kitchen? Too many. He got right up in Gellert’s face.  
“I swear to Gryffindor, if you make me ruin dinner again…”

Gellert surged forward, taking Theseus’ face in his hands, and kissing him like his survival depended upon it.  
“I can’t help it,” Gellert breathed. “You get so angry at me, and –“ he cut himself off, slamming his mouth against Theseus’ again, backing him up against the sink.  
“Gellert! You - ! Now my back is all wet! And – the stew…”  
“I put a stasis on it,” Albus said, laughing. “It seems I serve a purpose here after all.”

“Oh, I’d say you serve more than one purpose,” Gellert said, taking one step away from Theseus and disappearing Albus’ wet clothes.  
Gellert looked Albus over. “Oh yes, I think you will suit our purposes very nicely. Albus, did you say your name was? Or was it Wulfric? Brian?”  
Albus rolled his eyes and walked over to Gellert. He began unbuttoning Gellert’s shirt. “So what purpose did you have for me, exactly?”

“I think your husband here is entirely too uptight at the moment –“  
“Hey!” Theseus protested. “I am not –“  
“You _are_ ,” said Gellert, turning from Albus back to Theseus and stopping to suck on his neck. “I don’t know why I find that so hot, but I do know that it isn’t very good for you.  
“Albus? Be a dear and help me take him apart?”  
Albus’ cock twitched.  
“Hmmm… it would be my pleasure.”

With a wave of his hand, Albus dried the water off the floor. He knelt in front of Theseus, who almost automatically cast a cushioning charm on the stone floor, so that Albus wouldn’t scrape his knees. Gellert shook his head.  
“You see? This is what I mean. You are taking care of us all the time. Let us take care of you.”  
Gellert stood behind Theseus, unbuttoned his trousers, and pulled out his hard, reddened cock.

“Look how ready he is for you, Albus.” Gellert stroked Theseus. “He feels so good in my hand. Do you want –“  
Albus growled. “Let go of him Gellert. I need to feel him in my mouth.”  
“I did get here first…”  
“Gellert, I will vanish every bit of your hair –“  
Gellert moved his hand from Theseus’ cock to the back of Albus’ head.  
“By all means, Love. He’s yours.”

Gellert and Albus bickering over who would get to make him come was almost more than Theseus could take. He was going to come too fast at this rate.  
Almost as if he could hear his thoughts, Gellert said, “Come as quickly as you like, Love. We are going to do it again. And perhaps a third time, if we need to. Until you can’t come any more. Until you can’t remember your name.”  
Theseus groaned.

Still, he didn’t want to come – not yet. Albus’ mouth felt too good. So wet, so hot – and his tongue…  
“Albus –“  
Albus removed his mouth for a moment and squeezed Theseus off, to hold off his orgasm.  
“We can slow down a bit. What if I –“  
Albus began licking Theseus’ balls. Oh. Gods. Yes.  
At the same time, Gellert began licking his arse. This was slowing down?  
Theseus couldn’t help letting out a high-pitched whine.

Just as his knees were starting to buckle, the attention suddenly stopped, and he looked down to see Gellert and Albus kneeling beside him kissing one another.

"Gellert!" Albus gasped. "I thought we were taking care of Theseus?"  
“And you are doing such a good job taking care of our Theseus,” Gellert murmured. "Such a good job that he needed a break - otherwise he was going to explode probably earlier than he wanted."  
“Wrong husband,” Albus said, trailing his fingers down Gellert's arm, finally reaching his hand and interlacing their fingers. “I’m the only one of us who _doesn’t_ have a praise kink.”  
“That does not mean that I can’t tell you how wonderful you are, now and then.”

Gellert claimed Albus' mouth again with such intensity that Theseus groaned to see them. Gellert broke off the kiss and looked up at Theseus. He took Albus’ chin in his hand, and directed him to look up too.  
"See how much he needs us, Darling?"  
Theseus caught Albus' eyes, then Gellert's. How was it possible that he had _both_ of these men? He was so, so lucky.

Gellert, still holding Theseus’ gaze, leaned in and bit his thigh.  
“Ouch! You arse!”  
“You liked it.”  
“Merlin help me, I did.”

While Gellert had him distracted, Albus had moved back in front of Theseus and was taking him back into his mouth.  
“Fuck! Albus!”  
Gellert did not take long before moving back to Theseus’ puckered hole, circling it with his tongue, then summoning the edible lube that Theseus had perfected just six months ago. Oh gods. Theseus knew what that meant. Gellert was going to be using his fingers and his tongue, both.  
The thought of it brought Theseus to the brink, and before Gellert could even get the first finger all the way in, he was coming in Albus’ mouth. 

Gellert removed his finger, and Theseus whined at the loss of it, but was soon distracted by the sight of Gellert having pushed Albus onto the floor. They were kissing – holy fuck, they were sharing his come. Theseus sat down heavily at the kitchen table and watched as they rubbed their cocks together, kissing, touching, murmuring, ‘I love you.’ Watching them together, Theseus could feel his cock becoming interested again already.  
Theseus was so glad that they had brought Gellert back. Albus needed him. They needed each other. Theseus needed the two of them to have each other.

Gellert removed his mouth from Albus’, gasping.  
“I can’t come yet, Love. Your other husband is up there thinking again – I can practically hear it. I need to save this for him. For now. I’ll make sure we take care of you in a moment.”

Albus remained on the floor, watching Gellert work Theseus open with his fingers and his tongue. He began touching himself.  
“Albus –“ Theseus moaned. “Later – I want – “  
Gellert stopped what he was doing for a moment and peered around Theseus.  
“Albus, for fuck’s sake. Have a little patience. Very soon, one of us is going to fuck you, and you had better still be able to come when we do it. I will tie you up if I have to.”  
Albus rolled his eyes and took his hands off his cock.

“If you want to touch a cock, come touch Theseus. I want him ready again when I enter him.”  
Instead, Albus came and stood in front of Theseus. He kissed his neck, and his chest. He sucked on his nipples. He sucked on his jawbone and lightly nipped his ears. Then he reached down and started touching Theseus, while taking one of Theseus’ fingers into his mouth. Gellert found Theseus’ prostate, and Theseus shouted.  
Albus smirked.

“I think his cock is ready for you, Love. How about his arse?”  
“So perfect,” Gellert answered. “Beautiful…”  
“Not what I was asking –“  
Theseus laughed. He could listen to Gellert and Albus all day.  
“Yes, ok. It is also true that he is ready.”

Albus lifted Theseus onto the kitchen table.  
Theseus pushed back against him.  
“Albus this is where we eat –“

“Scourgify, Liebling,” Gellert called from a small distance away.  
Had he not just said that Scourgify was an inadequate spell?  
“Gellert –“  
Gellert appeared on the other side of the table from Albus, and bent down to kiss Theseus.  
“Do you know how many times I have fucked Albus on this table?”

He had fucked Albus _on this kitchen table_? Could he not just use the floor, like a civilized person?  
“Not helping, Gellert,” Albus scolded.

Gellert grabbed Theseus’ legs and pulled him to the edge of the table. Albus climbed on top of him and held him down, then cast a sticking charm. Arms, torso… totally immobilized.  
Theseus considered freeing himself, but suddenly Gellert’s tongue was up his arse again, and he could not remember what it was he had intended. Albus moved off of him and settled in a kitchen chair. He bent down to kiss Theseus.  
“That’s right, just lie still and let us take care of you.”  
Gellert’s fingers were in him, Albus’ tongue was in his mouth… he was spinning.

Gellert stood and lifted Theseus legs against his chest, raising his arse just enough…  
“It’s a good thing you’re so short,” Albus said, leaning back into his chair.  
Theseus could hear the affection laced with that truly wicked impulse to needle Gellert that seemed to possess Albus at almost all times. Theseus could probably not have gotten away with saying that, himself. Not that Albus didn’t have a point. The two of them were entirely too tall to pull this position off.

Gellert made a rude gesture at Albus.  
Theseus laughed. “I love you. Both of you. So much.”  
Gellert didn’t answer, but prodded Theseus’ hole with his cock. They cried out together as Gellert breached him.  
“Fuck, Gellert – please! More!”

Gellert gave him more and more until he bottomed out. He dragged out slowly, but slammed in hard, making Theseus scream. Again. And again. Theseus needed something to claw, to bite, to –  
“Release him Albus,” Gellert said.  
He dropped Theseus’ legs. Gellert looked over Theseus’ shoulder. Those bastards were using Legilimency again. He really needed to learn how to do that. Then again, Theseus did always seem to benefit from Gellert’s and Albus’ secret conversations.

Gellert was pulling out just long enough for Albus to drag Theseus back, so that Gellert could climb on top of him. Gellert thrust into Theseus and held still for a moment. He stroked Theseus’ cock.  
“You are doing so beautifully, Darling. Taking me so well. You are going to come for me. You came for Albus, and now it is my turn. I want to feel you clench around my cock, milk it dry with the force of your orgasm. Can you do that for me?”  
Theseus nodded.

“Words, Love.”  
Theseus grinned. He had more than a few words for Gellert.  
“Fucking move, for Merlin’s sake.”  
Gellert shook his head in mock disappointment.  
“Those are not the words I’m looking for, Theseus.“

“Please, Gellert. I need you - fill me with your come…“  
“No. I want to hear you say that _you will come for me_.”  
“Yes! Yes, I will. Come. You always make me come so hard. Make me come, Gellert. Please – “ Gellert pulled back and thrust back in. “Gellert!”

“This arse. It is mine. Say it.”  
“Yours, Gellert! No one else’s. Not ever. All yours.”  
“So possessive, Love,” Albus chided. Theseus had almost forgotten that Albus was there.  
“Albus -?”

Albus knelt just out of Theseus’ view, behind where his head was lying. Theseus saw him lean forward. Gellert lifted himself up just enough to kiss Albus, his thrusts slowing and gentling. Theseus lifted up his head, he could almost – reach – no, too far. He let his head fall back down on the table and just watched Albus and Gellert kiss each other.  
Theseus groaned. So hot. He loved this. All together. They so seldom -  
Albus tucked Gellert’s hair behind his ear on both sides. “I love you. But I love him too, and you have to share.”

Gellert kissed him again. “Fine, you can have him again after me. If you are feeling left out, Theseus and I could shift positions, and you could fuck me.”  
Theseus’ eyes widened. Did Albus and Gellert…?  
Albus looked down at Theseus and laughed.  
“I think you broke him, Gell.”

Gellert bent down and possessed Theseus’ mouth entirely. He put all of his weight onto Theseus’ shoulders.  
“Would you like that?” he growled. “Would you like for Albus to fuck me while I fuck you? I bet you didn’t know he did that for me, did you? Only sometimes, only when I really need him. His cock is perfect. But you can’t have him. Not like that. This arse is mine. Just for me…”

“Gellert – I am warning you. If you ever want my cock in you again, you will acknowledge that Theseus and I can fuck however we please without your say so.”  
“Yes, fine. I’m just –“  
“Just about ignoring me when _your cock is in my arse_?” Theseus contributed.

That had the intended effect. Gellert began taking Theseus so hard that he was beginning to be pushed down the length of the table. Albus planted his hands under Theseus’ shoulders, keeping him in place. He bent down and kissed Theseus.  
Albus broke the kiss, and began whispering to Theseus.  
“You never knew how badly your arse needed filling, did you? You can’t live without his cock, can you? Tell him, Love. Tell him –“

“Fuck! Gellert! Need you! Need your cock! Please! So perfect!”  
“Move, Albus,” Gellert growled, and he bent down and latched onto Theseus’ shoulder with his teeth. The pain of being bitten, Gellert’s cock ramming against his prostate, the friction where his own cock was trapped between them, and – fuck! – now Albus was licking his neck.  
“Gellllllerrrrt!!!!!” Theseus came harder than he knew was possible, and he kept coming. Every muscle in his body was so tight it felt like he would snap, and then finally he was limp, exhausted. Unable to move at all.

Albus pulled back from his neck and kissed him lightly on the forehead, but Gellert kept moving, the motion of his body against Theseus’ spreading the come between them, lubricating his cock, which only slightly alleviated his rising sensitivity as Gellert’s belly continued to drag against him. Gellert released Theseus’ shoulder and cried out, “Fuck! Yes!”

Gellert stilled for just a moment before pushing in even deeper than he had been before, crawling closer, pushing against Theseus. Theseus didn’t have enough energy to laugh, but he smiled lazily. He loved this about Gellert, the way it seemed he was almost trying to crawl completely inside of Theseus right after he had come. Gellert held himself still, panting, whispering ‘gods’ every time he exhaled. Then he pulled back just enough to lay down on Theseus.

“I love you, Theseus. So much. You know that, right?”  
“I know Gellert, I know. I love you, too.”  
Theseus wrapped both of his arms around Gellert and kissed him.  
“I love you,” he repeated, his voice starting to sound dreamy and distant.

His arms slid off of Gellert. He was simply. too. tired.  
Gellert pulled out and got off of him, and Theseus rolled onto his side. He had never realized how comfortable the kitchen table was. Perhaps someone would bring him a –  
“Pi – i – loooow?”

He heard Albus laughing, and Gellert asking, “Did he just ask for a pillow?”  
“He did. That is one well-fucked Theseus.”  
“Carry him upstairs?”  
“I will not. I am not going to injure my back just because you are so orgasm-addled that you have forgotten that you know magic.”

Theseus’ last thought before he fell asleep was that Albus hadn’t had a chance to come yet. He hoped Gellert had a plan to take care of that, because Theseus didn’t have a bone left in his body, or a thought left in his head.

**12 July 1915 (Monday)**

Theseus woke to find himself sprawled over Gellert. He cast a wandless Tempus – eight o’ clock. He smiled. It was as he suspected – they slept later without Albus there. Good thing he was off work, or he would have been late. He pulled still closer to Gellert, rubbing his erection against his hip. Gellert opened his eyes, turned his head towards Theseus, and smiled.  
“Good morning to you, too.”

“Yes, it is,” Theseus answered, and gently bit Gellert’s shoulder. “This is one of my favourite parts of the day. When I have you all to myself.”  
“I _have_ wondered about Albus’ motivations. Obviously, he has left for that silly conference so that we would spend more time alone together. Does he think that leaving us alone every morning has not been enough?”  
Theseus edged off of Gellert and lay on his side facing him.

“Have you been thinking that this is – strategic? On Albus’ part?  
“Gellert. Before you came to live with us… in all the time I have been with Albus, I have woken up to find him still in bed… maybe six times? Once because he was making an effort because I had complained about waking alone - and I asked him never to repeat that performance, because it was his anxious fidgeting that woke me. Every other time it was because he was ill. Albus can’t lie still in the morning. He leaps out of bed with some idea or another at five o’ clock – six if I’m lucky. It took some training to get him to immediately and silently leave, rather than get out of bed and excitedly pace around telling me about – whatever it was – while I was trying to finish sleeping.”

“He – I didn’t know – he’s a morning person? I always thought that he was in a hurry to leave in the morning because he didn’t want Aberforth to catch him.”  
“It was probably a little of that. But mostly because he had to write something down, I imagine. And as cranky as you are in the mornings –“  
“I am not!”  
“Not at eight you’re not. But at five? I pity anyone who tries to wake you before half past six. Albus probably learned pretty quickly not to talk to you about – the six critical differences between alchemy and potioneering, for instance – at five in the morning.”

Gellert sighed. “You know so much about him that I don’t.”  
“And you know things about him that I don’t, and you know things about me that he doesn’t, and I imagine that I know things about you that he doesn’t.”  
“You know what I mean, though. The two of you – you had a perfectly functional relationship without me. You are the primary pair, here, and I’m –“

“You are ours, and we are yours. Gellert. I love you.”  
“I know –“  
“I don’t think you do. Do we need to not have sex this first week, so that you can see how much more I love about you than just your body?”  
“Do not threaten me, Theseus!” Gellert growled, rolling Theseus over and pinning him down.  
“That’s a no, then,” Theseus said, his voice breathier than he had meant it to be.  
“Definitely, no.”

**15 July 1915 (Thursday)**

Theseus was cursing the anti-apparition wards (which had been his own idea, not that he was caring to remember that at the moment) as he kicked the door in, Gellert in his arms. He laid him on the sofa and cast a Finite.

“Hold on for me, Gellert. You still there, Love?”  
“I’m fine, Thee – I –“  
“You are not fine! You never call me Thee, and you –“  
“Albus, tell Theseus that he worries too much.” 

Fuck. He was hallucinating already.

Theseus pulled out his wand and Accio’d the dittany, the blood replenishing potion, the general antivenom – would that work against manticore venom? Thank all the gods it had been a baby. If it had been an adult, there would have been nothing Theseus could have done. What were manticores doing in the forbidden forest?

Theseus gave Gellert the antivenom. Then he took the Elder Wand from his pocket and put Gellert back under stasis. It was good he had noticed that Gellert had dropped his wand. He wouldn’t have been able to cast such a delicate spell with his own wand, and he didn’t know if he would have been able to keep Gellert alive without it. 

Theseus took a deep breath. Gellert was going to be ok. He was. Theseus would figure out what to do, and he would be ok.  
There was no use taking him to St. Mungo’s. No one knew what to do with manticore venom. Who would ever need to know –  
Newt.  
Theseus sent his Patronus telling his brother that he had an urgent manticore emergency. Then he laid his head on Gellert’s too quiet chest and waited.

Some ten minutes later, Theseus heard Newt come in the door.  
“I thought you said there was a manticore – Thee? Thee, please tell me you are not cheating on Albus. Please tell me you have not just killed the man with whom you are cheating on Albus.”

Theseus sighed. He had been planning to tell Newt some time, just – not yet. And certainly not this way.  
“I’m not cheating on him Newt. This is his other husband, Gellert.”  
“Other husband? Thee, I’m not sure –“  
“They made a blood pact when they were teenagers. Gellert came to live with us a year and a half ago, and I – we – “

“Ah,” Newt said. “Well, this is not all that uncommon. Even with humans. Not usually all male, but even that is not completely unheard of.”  
Theseus looked up at Newt blankly.  
“So you don’t – you aren’t – you –“  
“Sometimes it is like you do not know me at all, Theseus.” 

Theseus nodded, then looked up at Newt, with as apologetic a look as he could muster.  
“I’m sorry, Newt. You’re right. Of anyone, I should have known that you wouldn’t –“  
“Think you were weird?”  
Theseus laughed. “Right. Think I was weird.”  
Theseus sobered quickly. Gellert. Here he was laughing, and he was about to lose Gellert. 

“Gellert and I were dueling in the Forbidden Forest…”  
Newt raised an eyebrow at Theseus but did not interrupt. 

They had almost finished lunch when Theseus had had the idea.  
“The Forbidden Forest.”  
“What about it?”  
“Well, if you stay clear of the area where the centaurs live, it is the perfect place for a duel.”  
“The _Forbidden_ Forest?”  
Gellert's voice was incredulous, but the look on his face was eager.  
“Yes! Lots of cover, lots of distractions, lots of –“ 

“Animals that want to kill you and trees that want to eat you and fair folk that want to lure you away forever?”  
“Precisely! It’s –“  
“A challenge,” Gellert finished, laughing. “Yes, ok. I have never had the chance to duel you anyway. Rules?”  
“No permanent physical damage. We don’t want Albus to kill us both when he returns.”  
Gellert smirked. “Hmm… I shall have to go easy on you then, Love.”  
“Don’t you dare!” _Go easy on him_. Elder Wand or not, Gellert had no idea what he was in for. 

“So dueling gangs of dark Wizards is not enough for you? You have to take your husband into the most dangerous place in all Britain, save only Muggle London?”  
Theseus looked away.  
“He’s not, umm. He’s not my –“ 

Newt looked suddenly disapproving.  
“Why not, Theseus?”  
Why not, indeed. It wasn’t even that it hadn’t occurred to him. It just – had seemed too soon to ask. Too soon to risk Gellert not feeling the same. And now – now the fear of rejection was a small fear beside the fear of it being too late to ask. 

“Right, so. You are dueling in the forest, and – how does the manticore come into this?”  
“Gellert stepped back into a bush that was hiding a baby manticore, which panicked and stung him. Gellert cried out, and – Merlin. I made fun of him, Newt! I thought he had just been snagged by a briar. Then there was a mewling sound from the bush, and I heard something come bounding through the trees, and I accio’d Gellert and his wand, and just as I was apparating away with Gellert in my arms, I saw a manticore come into sight, and lift a cub up out of the bush.” 

Theseus dropped his head onto Gellert’s shoulder.  
“Newt. Manticores are. They are enormous. They are so fast. They are –“ 

“Oh, Thee.”  
Newt rubbed Theseus’ back.  
“Up, you.”  
Newt held Theseus. Newt never held Theseus. Theseus started crying. 

“I killed him, Newt, I killed him, and all I can think about is how much I love him, how much I need him. And I don’t know if he knew. I told him, but I don’t think he really, _really_ knew.  
“Gods, Albus is going to kill me. But I might just die before he even gets back home if –  
“Newt, I don’t know what to do – he can’t be dead. I can’t let him die. Please, Newt –“ 

“Shhh – Theseus. Calm down. He’s not dead. You didn’t kill him. And in any case, it sounds like he thought your stupid idea was beyond brilliant. I’m sure he followed you into that forest with giddy enthusiasm. I cannot believe you managed to find someone to match you and Albus in sheer idiocy.”  
Theseus laughed shakily. 

“Good. Sit down there by Gellert. First, we are going to need to remove most of his blood.”  
“What?!”  
“Yes. I have only had to do this twice, but…”  
“Twice?!”  
How could he have done this twice _already_? Newt was barely old enough to shave! He knew that magical creatures were dangerous, but honestly. Twice!  
“Well, yes. Some creatures are quite dangerous, and if you make a mistake – this is why it is important to always bring an assistant…” 

“In case you have to have your blood removed?!” Theseus was trying not to sound hysterical, but – had his baby brother had his blood removed? Was he truly suggesting that Gellert have his blood removed?! 

“Oh, well. It was only the once that it was me. The other time it was Leta. That is – why we are no longer speaking, honestly.”  
Theseus could imagine. 

Newt handed Theseus a pair of dragonhide gloves, and put on a pair himself. They put a drop of Gellert’s blood on a piece of parchment.  
“This is not good news. Just this one drop could kill a person. We are going to have to totally clean him out.”  
“Totally – you mean remove every last drop?”  
“Yes. It’s lucky we are wizards. A Muggle wouldn’t be able to do anything so thorough as what we are going to have to do to Gellert, here.” 

"But – what then? Blood replenishers can only do so much!”  
Newt stabbed Theseus’ arm and let the blood drip onto another piece of parchment.  
“We are going to remove half of your blood, alchemically transform that blood into Gellert’s blood – that is, Gellert’s blood if it were clean. Then we are going to give him that blood, and put you both on blood replenishing potions for two days.” 

That sounded – insane. Also complicated. Also fairy-tale levels of impossible. 

“You know how to do this.”  
Newt shrugged. “Sure.”  
“Sure? Or yes?”  
“Yes, Thee. I know how to do it. I’ve done it. I’m sure you’ve seen Leta around. She’s alive, isn’t she?”  
“But did you take _all_ of her blood?” 

Newt looked down for a moment, then tilted up his head to look at Theseus.  
“Theseus.”  
“Right, I’m sorry Newt. I just –“  
“If he were mine, this is what I would do.” 

No one respected life like Newt did. He could trust Newt with Gellert, just as surely as he could trust that Newt would leave them the minute they were out of the woods, so that he could find those fucking manticores and find some safe home for them. Speaking of idiocy. 

“Can we do this in our bed? I don’t want him to wake up alone.”  
“I don’t want either of you to wake up alone. Half is a lot of blood to lose. You might be unconscious for the first day. But I’ll stay until you are able to take care of yourselves.”  
Theseus nodded his assent, kissed Gellert’s forehead, then lifted him and carried him up to bed. 

**20 July 1915 (Tuesday)**

Theseus and Gellert were sitting on the sofa together reading. Or, at least Theseus was reading. Gellert was restlessly flipping through pages, and jiggling his leg up and down.  
“Is everything alright love?”  
“No – there’s too much – will it bother you if I play piano?”  
Theseus smiled. “Not at all. Leave the door open? I want to hear you play.“ 

When Gellert had moved in, he had insisted that they need to buy the largest possible grand piano available for sale in Britain - ‘I use the whole keyboard, and I will not tolerate discordant tuning…’ etc. He had gone on for quite a long time. Albus had pretended not to have any idea what he was talking about, just to wind Gellert up. Albus had then pointed out that there was no room in their cottage for such a large piano, and so he suggested that they might do better to transfigure the sofa into a piano when one was needed, which launched Gellert on a tirade about the sensitivity of musical instruments, which Albus had somehow taken to be a criticism of his transfiguration abilities. 

That night, Gellert had made a show of sleeping in the guest room, rather than in their shared bed. (‘Perhaps there is not enough room in this tiny cottage for such a large bed.’) Theseus decided to sleep on the sofa, hoping to avoid any accusations of taking sides. When he woke in the morning, he saw that the living room had grown five feet, in order to accomodate a new door. Walking through it, Theseus had found Albus standing in the middle of a brand new room - Albus’ violin sat on a shelf, and his own cello and guitar rested in their cases against one wall. And the centerpiece of the room…  
‘This is where Gellert’s piano will go,’ Albus had said, gesturing at the illusion of a beautiful concert grand. ‘Do you think he will like it?’ 

‘He’ll love it,” Theseus assured him, hoping that it was true. He was almost certain that Gellert would see this gift for what it was: a sign that his desires were being taken seriously, that Albus (and Theseus too, but this time Albus) would happily alter the house if it made it more of a home for him, and that when teasing went too far, there would be extravagant gestures of reconciliation, always.  
And it seemed that Theseus had been correct - the music room had become Gellert’s safe space within their house, just as the study was for Albus, and the potions lab in the cellar was for Theseus. 

Theseus watched Gellert open the door and disappear from sight, then returned to his book. He was so absorbed in his reading that when his attention was caught by the piano, it was clear that he had missed the first several measures of the piece.  
It was beautiful - lush - and yet sad and yearning, just on the edge of fulfillment without reaching it. It was snow, pierced only by a single flower. A forest after the rain, green and shining, but with no birds singing. An emptiness that knows it is empty. 

Theseus listened from the living room for a few minutes, but was soon drawn through the open door, coming to stand behind Gellert. He watched Gellert’s fingers as he played. He didn’t have perfect pitch, so he couldn’t say for sure without a visual cue...  
“B minor?”  
Gellert inclined his head in assent without speaking.  
Hmm. B minor. A cello almost _wanted_ to play B minor. 

Theseus didn’t have the genius for composition that Gellert did, but he was capable of improvisation, and he thought maybe… He removed his cello from its case and set a silencing spell around himself long enough to quickly tune it. Then he summoned a chair and positioned it so that he could see Gellert’s face, read his cues as he played.  
Theseus set his bow to the strings, and, within the constraints of Gellert’s composition, tried to offer a promise of emptiness that would be filled. Of birds on the edge of singing, of flowers waiting beneath the snow, not yet breaking free, but soon. Maybe tomorrow. 

Gellert’s melody began to shift and wrap around his own, as if they were each drawing the other closer to something, without quite reaching it. Gellert gave a nod, and Theseus understood that they were reaching the end. Theseus drew out a final note over one, two bars and let it fade, then sat simply listening watching Gellert's face and listening as Gellert returned to the opening theme. He ended one step shy of resolution. 

Theseus carefully laid his cello on its side beside the chair where he’d been sitting. He moved to sit on the bench next to Gellert and laid his head on Gellert’s shoulder.  
They sat there in silence, Gellert’s hands still resting on the keys. Finally Gellert brought one hand to his lap, and wrapped the other arm around Theseus.  
“What is it, Love?” 

“Marry me.” 

“Theseus –“  
“ _Marry me_ , Gellert.”  
“You don’t mean – is this about the manticore?” 

“No, it is not about the fucking manticore, Gellert. _I love you_. If there were no Albus, I would still love you. I mean, there is an Albus, and I love Albus too, and I love you and Albus, the way you are together, so much. I can’t get enough of watching the two of you together, but – forget Albus for just a minute.  
“I love _you_ , Gellert Grindelwald, who you are, yourself. And I want to spend the rest of my life _with you_ , listening to you play piano, getting into trouble with you, and having sex in the kitchen. I want to hold you when you are sad or sick or lonely, and I want to make every dream you have possible, no matter how many Ministries across Europe I have to infiltrate so that I can purge every mention of you in their files.  
“So, the only question really is, do you want me the way I want you?” 

Gellert turned and straddled the piano bench, and invited Theseus up onto his lap. He looked up into Theseus’ eyes.  
“You mean it, Theseus? You really mean it?”  
“I do – I –“  
Gellert kissed Theseus and didn’t stop kissing him. Theseus was beginning to think that he wasn’t going to get an answer, but was at least going to get some pretty amazing sex on the piano bench. Which wasn’t exactly what he wanted, but it was appealing nonetheless. 

When Gellert finally broke away, Theseus looked at him carefully. Gellert wasn’t meeting his eyes.  
“Gellert – it’s ok if you don’t feel the same way, yet. I can wait. I’m sorry if I’m –“  
“No, no. I do, I… I didn’t think this would ever happen, honestly. I was – unprepared.”  
That was maybe the most vulnerable thing Gellert had ever said to him in words. Theseus wanted to give him the space to say more, so he waited. He traced his fingers on Gellert’s back and waited. 

“I suppose we should ask Albus…”  
“Gellert – no. That is absolutely not what we should do. First of all, we both know that nothing would make Albus happier. Secondly, we do not need his permission in any case. He did not ask me if he could marry you, and much more saliently, he did not ask you if he could marry me. No. This is a question for you to answer for yourself. And for us to do ourselves. Once we have done this, _then_ we can talk about having some sort of ceremony together, all three of us. But this is about you and me. So, I’m going to ask you again. Do you, Gellert Grindelwald, want to marry me? Just me. You’re already married to Albus. I want to know if you want me, too.” 

“Yes! Obviously…”  
“Obviously,” Theseus echoed in a flat tone.  
“No, I mean – didn’t you know? How I feel about you?”  
“Tell me.” 

“I feel… I did tell you, just now. That song – it’s for you. It’s a song of – thinking you don’t love me as much as I love you, and trying to make peace with that, over and over.”  
Theseus buried his face in Gellert’s neck.  
“I think,” he said in a muffled voice, “that your song needs a new ending.” 

Gellert answered dismissively, “Well, the trouble is that B minor resolves to D major, and I don’t much like D major.”  
Theseus sat up straight and laughed. “I would have thought that D major was a very Gellert-ish key.”  
“D major is Gellert Grindelwald, Minister of Magic. Not Gellert Grindelwald, husband to Theseus Scamander.”  
Husband to… 

“Yes, then?”  
“Yes. Absolutely, yes.”  
“Tomorrow?”  
Gellert laughed. “Tomorrow?!”  
“Well, we can’t do it today – we need to figure out the best way to make sure that the vows can be safely made and still be deeply and permanently binding, without falling afoul of your blood pact with Albus and my handfasting with him.” 

“Ah, yes, well. If we can’t do it _today_ , then tomorrow by all means!”  
Theseus frowned. “I see. You think tomorrow is too fast.”  
“Darling. Even Albus and I waited more than 24 hours. And I was 16, Theseus! 16!” 

“We _have_ been waiting,” Theseus said quietly. “When you came to live with us, I felt like – I had hoped that you were saying yes to me, too? We just – never said so. Out loud. But –“  
Gellert nodded thoughtfully. “And that was a year and a half ago.”  
“A year and a half, Gellert! I was beginning to think you didn't want... That’s much longer than Albus and I waited after I proposed –“ 

“ _You_ proposed?”  
“Well, yes. He was already married, for one. And _someone_ had apparently given him the idea that he was likely to _die_ if he tried to bind himself to anyone else. When really the worst consequence was that another bond simply wouldn’t take.”  
Gellert grinned. Theseus shook his head. “Yes, well played, Mr. Grindelwald.” 

Gellert wrapped his arms around Theseus, holding him tight.  
“Tomorrow,” he said. “Yes, I believe I can squeeze in a wedding, somewhere in my busy schedule.”  
Infuriating man. Brilliant, gorgeous, sweet, infuriating man. 

Theseus leaned in to kiss him, but it was not long before Gellert pulled away.  
“Off, now. Go do your arithmantics or whatever else you need to do to satisfy yourself about what sort of ritual would be best for us.” 

“You don’t want to –“  
“Oh, no. I trust you. And anyway, I have a new song to write. Let’s see… C major? A?”  
Theseus stood up, lifted his cello, and carried it back to its case.  
With his back to Gellert, he offered, “Either is a friendly key for cello.”  
“B flat major it is!” Gellert concluded, sounding almost triumphant. 

Hilarious. 

“I didn’t say that the other keys were too difficult for me, arse,” Theseus scolded, returning to wrap his arms around Gellert and kiss him on the cheek. "Write it in whatever key you like. And if you want to play it by yourself, just say so."  
Gellert hummed, sounding distant. Already composing, then.  
“I’ll come get you when it’s time for lunch, Love.”  
Theseus closed the door behind him when he left, to give Gellert some privacy. 

His hand rested on the doorknob.  
“Tomorrow,” he said under his breath. His chest felt light, almost as if he would float away if his feet were not anchored to the ground. “Tomorrow.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Theseus calls Albus a hinkypink early in this fic - which is arguably not a word. If you want to know my reasoning - you can see the note at the top of [Chapter 40 of The Greater Good](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19822066/chapters/56915023)
> 
> Much love and thanks to [vandrerska](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vandrerska/pseuds/Vandrerska) for so many reasons, but this time, for her helpful suggestions re: the scene in the music room.


End file.
